Leak stop



July 5, 1932. C. BOYCE LEAK STOP Filed June 10. 1929 illiiiill ""EEEQIIAHW' "Hui" WmHHww Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f CHARLES BOYCE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO JAMES H. BOHAN, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA a LEAK STOP Application filedlune '10,

This invention relates to leak stops which, although particularly adapted for use to prevent the flowage of water from automatic sprinkler heads, may be used to stop the '5 fiowage of water or other liquid from pipes,

hoses and other liquid outlets.

At the present time, a great deal of unnecessary water damage is done when fires occur in buildings equipped with automatic 1;) sprinklers, for the reason that the flowage of 'water from individual sprinkler heads cannot be stopped without shutting off the supplyof water to the whole supply system and draining the same. Often sprinkler 19 heads are opened due to the heat of a fire in rooms not endangered by the fire, and often the water from sprinkler heads in rooms where the fire has already been put out, will continue to flow to no benefit.

It is the object of this invention, therefore, to provide a. novel and improved leak stop which can be used to shut off the flow of water from automatic sprinkler heads, or similar liquid outlets quickly and efficiently.

To this end, the invention consists in the novel parts and novel combinations of part-s, hereinafter defined in the claims and described in the following specification, made in connection with the accompanying draw- 30 ing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughoutthe various views, and, in which,

Fig. l is a plan View of a leak stop embodying the present invention applied to an automatic sprinkler head, certain portions of the leak stop being broken away; i j

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig.1, certain of the parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view on a'reduced scale illustrating in full lines the position that the parts of theleak stop will assume when being applied to an automatic sprinkler head and illustrating in dotted lines the position that the parts of the leak stop will assume, when applied to an automatic sprinkler head.

Referring to the drawing, portionsof an automatic sprinkler system are illustrated 929. Serial no. 369,549.

which include a water supply pipe 5, a T-fitting 6 secured in the water supply pipe and an automatic sprinkler head 7 secured to the central opening in the T-fitting The sprinkler head 7 is of a standard construction and is shown in the drawing as being opened up for 'the'fiowag e of water therethrough. Although various types of automatic sprinkler heads are now in use, practically all of these heads include a short pipe section 7a which is screw threaded, into a suitable fitting such as the T-fitting 6, and above the pipe sec: tion 7a, the sprinkler head is provided withan outwardly projecting flange 7b. Sprinkler head 7 is shown as including ayoke 70 extending above the water discharge opening in the head and carrying a water deflecting plate 7d having a downwardly projecting shirred flange to deflect the water and break the same up into a spray.

In accordance with the present invention, a pair of co-operating casing members 8 and 9 are provided which are preferably composed of some type of solid material such as iron, bronze or the like. The two casing members 8 and 9 are both of semi-cylindrical shape at their inner portions and are preferably partially' spherically formed at their outer portions, so that the top and side edges of each casing lie within a true plane, and these edges are preferably provided with continuous dovetail mortises 8a and 9a respectively. The inner or lower edges of the two casing members 8 and 9 as shown in the drawing, are provided with a centrally projecting half ring shaped flanges 86 and 9b respectively. A pair ofco-operating shells 10 composed preferably of soft rubber orsimilar partially flexible, resilientniaterial, are re spectively'secured in the casing members 8 and 9; Each shell 101s shaped to closely fit within one of the members 8 or 9 andis provided with a thick continuous flange 10a projecting outwardly from its'side and .top edgesto abut the side andtOp edges of one of the casing members SM 9." A continuous dove tailed tenon 10b is formed on each flange 10a and the dove tailed tenon 10b is adapted to be forced into'adove tailed mortise 8a or 9a toremov'ably and firmly secure a shell to one of the casing members 8 or 9. As the tenon 8a is formed from resilient material, it will be seen that the tenon may be easily forced in place within a mortise 8a or 9a by applying pressure on the shell 10 in the proper direction. Each shell 10 terminates at its lower or inner end immediately above a flange 8?) or 9?) and is provided with a centrally projecting semi-circular flange p o 100, which terminates in a rounded edge.

Preferably the flange 100 flares slightly downwardly and centrally on its upper side as indicated. Although various types. of handles can be used for hingedly securing the casing members 8 and 9- together, and for swinging the casing membersto and from each other, a suitable construction is illustrated which includes a handle member 11 formed integral with or secured to casing member 8, and a second handle member 12 formed integral with or secured to the casing member 9. The handle member 11 carries a hub 11a, while the member 12 is forked adjacent the point where it joins the casing member 9- and is provided with a pair of spaced hubs 120;, A pivot 13 fits within the three hubs 11a and 12a and a hinge is. thus provided to permit swinging movement of the casing members 8 and 9 to and from each other when the handle memhers11 and 12 are grasped and spread apart or toward each other. A suitable locking de vice is provided for holding the two shells 1O tightly in engagement with each other when the casing members 8 and 9 are swung toward each other and this lock in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, comprises merely a lug 14 mounted on the casing member 8 at a point opposite the handle member 11, a pair of ears 1.5 mounted on the casing memher 9: opposite the handle member 12, a pivot 1 6,carried in the ears 15, a dog 17 mounted on the, pivot 16 between the ears 15 and a spring 18. turned about the pivot 16 bearing at one end against one of the ears 15 and bearing at its other end against the dog 17 to normally force the dog into engagement with the lug 14 when the two, casing members 8 and 9- are swung toward each otherabout he pivot 13.

It will be seen that when the two shells. 10

are swung tightly together, flanges 100; will reg ster with each other to form a chamber closed at all points except at the bottoms or inner portions of the shells where the semicircular flangeslOcwillgfor-m a circular opening leading into the chamber. The flanges 10m made of such size as to fit about the pipe, nozzle or similar liquid outlet upon which the leak Stop'isadapted to be used. This. opening in theembodi ment of'the invention illustrated is of such size that when the device isapplied about an automatic; sprinkler hea d such as the sprinkler head 7 illus- 6.5 trated in thedrawing,.the central. edges of the flanges 100 will tightly embrace the pipe member 7a to form a seal therewith. In Fig. 4, the leak stop is illustrated in full lines in open position ready to embrace the sprinkler head 7. When the two handle members 11 and 12 are sprung apart to the position shown indotted lines Fig. 4, the casing members 9 will be swung toward each other about the ivot 13 and the side and top edges of the shells 10 will be brought into engagement to completely envelop head 7. The central edges of the flanges 100 will bear against the pipe section 7a below the flange 7b and will there seal the chamber formed by the shells 10 to prevent the outflow of water discharged through the sprinkler head into the chamber. At the time the two shells 10 are brought together, theywill be compressed until the dog 17 iscarried over the lug 14 and forced into engagement with the lug 14 by means of the spring 18. Accordingly, the leak stop will be securely locked in position to prevent unwarranted removal thereof from the head 7. As water flows from the discharge openingin the head 7, this pressure will force the leak stop outwardly as far as possible from the head until the flanges 10c strike the lower side of the flange 7b to there form a second seal to prevent the outflow of liquid through the; opening at the bottom of the leak stop. The dog 17 is provided with a short lug 17a at its free end whereby the dog can be readily engagedby a finger to release the dog from the lug 14 and permit the removal of the deviceifrom the sprinkler head.

Then the device is in applied position, the flanges 8b and 9?) act to brace the flanges 100 and strengthen the same. The, shells 10 may be removed from the casings 8 and 9 when the rubber or similar material forming the shells 10 has, deteriorated, whereupon new shells 10 can be substituted for the old ones. Although the present device is particularly adapted for use in connection with automatic sprinkler heads, it will be understood that the device can be used by plumbersor others to close ofl liquid discharge pipes and nozzles of various types. It will be seen that when the leak stop is used to prevent the flowage of water from sprinkler heads, that individual sprinkler heads in an automatic sprinkler system can be controlled as desired, and yet it does not become necessary to turn off the supply of water to the whole system and drain the'same. Accordingly, i'n rooms where automatic sprinkler heads have opened up and water is not required, the flowage of water from these sprinkler heads may be controlled to prevent water damage and yet water can be supplied from sprinkler heads in the same sprinkler system at, other points in the, buildmg 7 V The device ifs-simple-in construction and can be conveniently carried by firemen or others and. operated.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts Without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A leak stop comprising a pair of casing members, a pair of co-operating semi-cylindrical shells respectively secured to said casing members, said shells being composed of resilient material and being rounded at their outer ends, and having semi-circular openings formed therein at their inner ends, and a pair of hinged handle members secured to said casing members and adapted to be operated to bring the side and end edges of said shells into close engagement to form a chamber having a circular opening at its inner end and closed at all other points.

2. A leak stop for automatic sprinkler heads comprising a pair of casing members hinged together, a pair of cooperating shells secured to said casing members, said shells being composed of resilient material and 95 being rounded at their outer ends and having cooperating openings in their inner ends and handles secured to said casing members for swinging said shells together about an automatic sprinkler head to enclose the same, the

' openings in the inner ends of said shells being of such size and shape that the shells adjacent the openings will tightly embrace the sprinkler head.

3. A device for stopping the leaking of automatic sprinkler heads, comprising a pair of hinged shells having edges of partially flexible resilient material and having mating partially spherical outer ends and facing notches at their inner ends, handles projecting outwardly from the sides of said shells and adapted to be operated to swing said shells together to enclose an automatic sprinkler head and to surround a pipe to which it is secured.

4 In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES BOYCE. 

